Electric display apparatus.



PATENTBD FEB. 14, 1955.

Y E. L. ZELLNSKI. ELECTRIC DSPLAY APPARATUS.

uPLmATIox FILED sPT.a.19o4.

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No.' 'm2,311.

No. 782,311. PATENTEDFEB. 14, 1905.

I E. L. ZALINSKI. ELECTRIC DISPLAY APPARATUS.

nELxoA'rloN FILED SEPT, 6.19m.

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PATBNTED FEB. l, 1995. I. L. ZALINSKI.

ELECTRIC DISPLAY APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIOF FILED SEPT. 1904.

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"UNITED v,STATES t'atentecl February 14, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND L. ZALINSKI, F NEN YORK, N. Y

ELI-:orme DISPLAY APPARATUS.

sPnoIFIoaTIoN fomine'pert oftewel-s raient no. 782,311, dafd February 14, 1905.

I y Application Iliad September 6, 1904. Serial No. 223,368.

T 'all whom, it may concern.- V'; A,

fBelit known thet'I, EDMUND L. Zionism, a

'citizen' f the'UnitedSAtetesiesiding in the 'i'ity,`conty, and of New York, have in- J'grelteiefrtain new and useful Improvements jr' :invention relates to electric cisplay a'ptrate@ ilia'grammatically and on a smaller scale. i -V 1 lgsf aindare detail views ofslamp-socket Whicliinaybeemployedfin the practice of my '1inyeriton -vieviied roinfilerent sides." Fig. y"lisajdeteil, view ofanothe'r for-1n of lamp- 3o" socket!" 'Fig'. Bshows a lamp-socket' in place on 'itlstraekyFi'g' is a tpp View of the base shown in'zlfilgnl Fig. 10 ons another form i of t-ekand'a lamp-.Socke i'n place thereon. j Fig. 11 shows' still another form of track and ""In1socketatlapted to Yhe used therewith. y f'Fig-IQ is aseetional view of 's'. pluraltyof fiinitfrannes with llamps in position and with a eover or letteravfaceplate havingperfora- "tionslthrough' which Vthe bases of the lamps 4o: gngte'iicl.v`v Fig. 1 is a front view of the struef treshinnin ig. 12." "i Yinthe" drawings similar numerals refer to i. the samxor corresponding parts in thedilerentgurbs. i lh'e'foLniying is a description of the struetiiresfshownin the'aco'ompanyng' drawings. "*Rcfei-ring MBFig. 1, Mis a' box or frame 'onstitnting oieof` the units of the' display "apparatus It'ispnovicled with a licor of or which form tracks for the travel of said sockets. The strips 16 16 are all electrically connected together in multiple by the conductor 18. 19 1919-are bars of conducting material attached` by suitable means to thc insulating base 15 and electrically connected together in multiple by the conductor 20. 21 indicates diagremrnatieally a. switch by means of which the conductors 18 and 2() are connected and disconnected from a, suitable source of elec trical energy.

The. lamp-socket 17, Fig. 1, is shown `in detail in Figs. 2. and 6. It is composed of e spun-metal screw-threaded cylinder adapted to receive thebase of a lamp of the ordinary standard construction. The sides of the socket are provided with channels Q1 Q1, forming 'roovesywhich are adapted to engage with.

the edges of thetracks 1.6 16. At 22 a portion of the base is removed` as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5. Through the opening thus formed the central terminal of the lamp when screwed in place m'ales contact' with the bm` 'Qrrib 19 and simultaneously locks and holds the socketin its position by drawing thc lower edgesof the' channels 21 21 up against the lower 'sides of the flanges of the'traeks 16 16,

so that theEserew-threaded lamp-liaise not only acts esY a support for one of the conductingterminals ot' the lamp, het mechanically acts to preventan accidental or undesirable lonitudinal movement or displacement of the amp on its ltrack. These movable sockets aioxd the capacity of forming any desired letter, character, or symbol with a minimum number of Sockets,` rendering unnecessary the use of a large number of sockets, some of which are always idle. as in the well-known form 'of electrical-display unit composed of a 'monogram of lamp-sockets. The unit box or frame may be provided only with single 'sockets traveling ontraeks such as above de scribed, or it may be provided with a Socket lil or sockets carried on swinging supports in i' whoie or in part, which swinging supports are also illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The arm connection with a conductor 19.

described, the central projection of which is electrically connected to the pivot 25 and thc exterior screw-threaded part ot' which is elecl which ribs,the central terminal of the lamp when in position in its socket contacts. These ribs or the portion of the plate 19 underneath the -perforation 16" is therefore the equivalent of the strips 19, Fig. 1. The plate 19" is connected to the other terminal of the supply-circuit, and the plates 16l and 19 are insulated from each other by non-conducting blocks 31, Fig. 8.

Still another form of trackway and lampsocket is shown in Fig. 10. 32 is a. V-shaped projection from the Hoor 'of the box 14. carrying conducting-strips 33 and 33, being respectively the positive and negative terminals of a suitable source of electrical energy. The

trically connected by conductor 28 with the lamp-base is provided with springs of con- 30 shell or exterior part of the socket 2li. The ducting material 34 34, separated by an -intracks 16 are preferably provided with scales, sulating-disk 35, which springs are in Vturn as 29, by means of. which, as will be readily electrically connected to the two terminals 20 understood, the positionof each lamp-socket i (the sh'ell and the central plug) of the lampin` the frame can be determined beforehand socket 37, as clearly shown in the drawings. 35

to contribute to the formation of any desired letter or character. When so provided` instructions may be issued which will enable any one in the formation of letters to properly,

locate each of the lamps without the exercise of lndividual skill.-

A slightly-modified forni of lamp-socket is shown in F.ig.8, in which the material rel l ln Fig. 11 l have shown still another form of trackwity and lampsocket. 33 38 are re'- sihcnt strips of conducting niaterlal having downwardly-folded upper edges in which the jupwardly-turncd projections 39 from the lamp-base engage and travel.

In this form, as in the form shown in Fig. 5 and other hgures already described, the act of Inserting the lamp-base into its socket and screwing it home not only effects electrical connection 95 with tliesupply-circuit, butalso locks the lamp and prevents longitudinal movement along the track. v

ln connection with the unit bases or boxes above described I may, if desired, employ 3D moved to forni the opening 22 in the bottom of the socket is turned back upon itself to form tiiingesU, adapted to cn'ibrace-the edges l of the track. Instead of forming the tracksl 16 of separate strips' placed side by side,'asl r 35 shown in Figs. l and 2, l may form them of a continuous base-plate 16 of conducting niaterial, as shown in Fig. 8, the ribs forming the other terminal of'the circuit being likel wise, if desired, formed of acoiitinuous plate 19, these plates being insulated fioin each other by thc non-'conducting material 31, all

as shown in Figs. H and JQ nFigs. 8 and U show a porti'on of a box or frame including onlyone ot' the trarkways, the rest of the box being broken away. 1li is a iiietiil plate extending overtlie face of the box or frame, said plate-being eut-away at suitable intervals to form longitudinal perforations 16" with enlarged ends 14;". 'Ihe sides of these perforations form tracks for the traveling lamp-socket. und the enlarged end 16" permits the lamp-sockets to be inserted to slide on these tracks. ",lhe plaie 16" is connected to one of tle terminals of the supply-circuit. lt is provided with a plurality of sncli perforations, which are equivalent to 'the plurality of tracks shown in Fig. 1. 'l`he lamp-socket is inserted through the enlarged part-.li of the perforation and adjusted to 60 its desired position on the track way` as will lic readily understood. 19" isa continuous metal plate underlying the plate lf3", and, it' desired, it is, as shown, fashioned into ribs opposite the perforations 16", as shown in Fig. n, with any suitable form ot' a cover or letter-face plate such, for example, as that ,shown in Figs. l2 and 13, where 40 is a suitable letterface plate haring pcrfoi'ations in it outlining any desired letter or character, through which perforatio'ns `the lamp-bases are inserted and screwed into thc sockets below, and which plates may, it' desired. form a reflecting background 42, outlining the letter or character.

'llie unit-boxes above described may be used each to form a single letter or character, or they may be. combined, as shown in Fig. 13, to form a letter or character of larger size. In Fig. 131 have shown them so applied in forming the letter N; but any other suitable arrangement or combination of them may be adopted, as will be readily understood. ',lhc units may be assembled and held in position by any suitable means. l hareshown them attached loa board 13 by thumb-screM 12 1 haveshonn screw-threaded sockets adept I said arm and electrically connected with said ed to receive screw-threaded bus-es; but it is traveling contact. obvious that other engaging means :snel: as l 9. In electric display apparatus, the coma bayonet-joint, for example -jmight be emv I l bination ivitha suitable traclway, of atraveh 5 ployed, if desired. ing Contact engaging with said trackway, a.

llavlng thus described my invention, what l pivotally-supported arm carried by said travlelalnn and desire to secu re by Letters Patent, cling contact, a lamp-socket concentric with N the pivotal support of said arm, and a lamp- 1 In electricdisplay apparatus, the comhisochetattached to said arm. both of said nation with a suitable trackway, a traveling threaded base, the lower termin/gl sockets being electrically connected with said lamp-socket and suitable electrical supplytraveling Contact.

10. In electric display apparatus the com bination with a plate of conducting material, a portion of which is cut away ,toform suitable trackn'ays, conductors intermediate said cut-away portions, and lamp-sockets having open Abottoms traveling in said trackways.

l ll. In electric display apparatus the combination of a plate of conducting material, a portion of which is cutaway' to form suitable.

' conductors. o'ne of said conductors l'ieing located below ,the traveling lamp-socket.

2. h. .-Lectrle display apparatus the combination with a suitable trackway, a traveling damp-socket and suitable electrical supplyconductors, one of said conductors being lo- 1 cated below thetraveling lmnp-socket and the track functioning as the other conductor.

In electric display apparatus the combination with suitable trackway. of a lampsocket wholly formed of eonductingmaterial.

4. In electrical display apparatus the combination with a. suitable trackway, of a lampsocket formed of 'a single piece of conducting material( Y 5. In electric display apparatus, the combination with a suitable trackway, of it lampsocket fox-ined entirely of conducting material having an ol'ieningV through the bottom and provided with elements engaging with said 6.' In electric display apparatus the com bi nation with a suitable trackway functioning as one of the supply-conductors, a conductor located below the traveling la|np-socket,atrav eling' lamp-socket having an opening through thebottgin, and anelectric lampinsaid socket, the lowest/criminal of which contacts niitlidtiie Y T In an electli'display apparatus theeomtraveling lamp-socket :having an opening through the bottom, and s. screw-threaded cavity, an electric lamp provided with a screwyolhvrhieh contacts with the last-,nnle 'ftindnetor and looks the socket'in place.' f y' 8. In electric display apparatus, the combination with a suitable trackway, of a travel- -ing contact engaging with 'said traekway, a pivotally-supported arm carried by said trav- 55 eling contchand a lamp-socket attached to tracliwnys, a continuous sheet of conducting material Intermediate said cnt-away portions,

away portions. and lamp-sockets having open 55 bottoms traveling on said trackway.

13. ln electric display apparatus a letter symbol unit composed of a plurality of su stantially identical units provided with mov able'lamp-sockets placed side by side-5' 14. In electric display apparatus the combination with a suitable trackway, a travel` .ing ,lanipsocken suitable electrical supplycondnctors, and a'scale parallel with said trackway for determining the position of said Iampsocket.A

15. In electriedisplay apparatus the combination with a suitable'trackway. a traveling lanpsocitet, and suitable electrical supply-conductors, sad'trackway bearing a scale for determiningthe position of said lampsoclcet.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speci lication in the presence of two subscriblnmitnesses. 1 EDMUN i) L. ZALIBLSKI. Witnesses:

J. EDGAR BULL,

Dona Lnn'rz. 

